Post by janne on Feb 9, 2008 14:33:44 GMT 1

My name is Jan Pålsson I live in Sweden/Värmlands county, in the city Karlstad, Im 39 years old and I have always been interested in German ww2 vehicules, I discovered that the Swedish army bought 600 A3000 KHD trucks with spare parts from Germany during the war (we bought much more stuff type such as Demag D7, 2cm flak 30, 3,7cm pak, etc. etc).I decided to try to find a KHD truck myself, and I started late in 2001 to ask old guys in the hobby and all of them laught at me and told me, if you want to find any truck your to late !!!!' I could hear the laughter ringing in my ears for some weeks after, but after 3months I found the first KHD truck,... who got the last laught now ??!!!!! The first KHD was in a realy bad condition (the wreck had a good chassis but the rest was totally rusted out, but it was for free) so I started for the second time in 2002 to find a better object to restore and ones more a couple of months later I found the next KHD for 50euro. A better chassis with a better body but when I started to dismantle the truck, I found out that the truck hade been a sub for two times (flooded lake) there was water every were (gear box, engine. etc). I have restored everything on the chassis, parts that were to bad to restore I replaced with better parts, some parts have been made new at the workshop at my job (Metso paper Karlstad). I have also found some new parts from the late 40th´s and early 50th´s in Sweden. The biggest problem has been the German made cabin. Every single wreck I have seen the last years had all rotten and rusted out body´s/cabins. I can probably restore mine orginal cabin for my truck but it would be nice to find a very good cabin that needs no or very little restoration (the postwar Magirus-Deutz A3000-3500 between the years 1946-1954 and S3000-3500 between the years 1946-1951 has got the same cabin. I have had some problems during the restoration of the chassis caused by a lack of spare parts. I had big problems with the (front) drive shafts. They where totaly worn out so I had to dismantel 3 front axels and I used parts from these drive shafts (had to make some new parts as well ) in order to make 2 restored ones!!!! The chassie has been standing on it´s on wheels now since august 2005 (I started to dismantle the truck on june 2003). Not many of the 600 A3000 KHD trucks that Sweden bought during the war are left, I believe that there are only 6 restored (mine included), 5-8 restoreble objects (in different conditions, many very bad ones) and several chassies, many shortend to what we call EPA tracktors (they have been used to pull/tow heavy stuff in the forest or on the road).My goal with the restoration is to bring the Klöckner back to factory condition or as clouse as possible.I have not had time to go on with the restoration since september 2005 due to I got injured an had to go thru a surgical operation, after the operation I Could not go back to my old job I had to go a 2 year course as mechanicul constructor, the course will end in may 2008 so then I will start with the restoration of the Klöckner again.

It would be nice to hear from other people who are restoring this type of WH 3 ton truck or knows of spareparts/restoration objects, all info is more than Welcome.Please have a look at the buy side of parts that I want, Thanks.

Post by bdodge on Jul 31, 2008 22:53:33 GMT 1

Hello Jan and Rolf,and everybody else.I just discovered this forum,and i`m thrilled with joy. Just looking at these great restoration pictures almost brought tears to my eyes,it`s so beautiful!My vehichles(us) has along way to go,but I`ll get there.These german vehichles are very interesting,not only do they seem very well enginered they look good to.Lokking forward to many more hours of good reading on yet another great forum. Bjørn Michelsen